Netherlandish School, 16th Century

The shirt of the bagpipe player to the right is slightly greener in tone than the catalogue illustration suggests, otherwise the catalogue illustration seems representative. The canvas has a fairly recent relining which is stable, if a little hard. Approximately 4-5cm. from the upper horizontal margin and the left vertical margin there are lines of damage, which seem to indicate that the canvas was once reduced in size by being folded. There is small line of paint loss, approximately 2cm. long, in the headdress of the woman to the left of the foreground of the painting. In general the paint surface is quite worn, especially in the darker regions and tones. UV light reveals what appear to be various stages of restoration in the painting's history. More recently there have been some retouchings to the sleeves and bagpipe of the bagpipe player on the right hand side and older retouchings in the apron and sleeve of the woman to the left in the foreground. There are further scattered retouchings throughout the composition. Offered unframed.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."